Teller&#39;s cage



109. SAFES, BANK PROTECTION AND RELATED DEVICES.

. Aug.- 3 1926. 1,594,747

G. MURRAY TELLER S CAGE Filed March 26 192 i 109. SAHLS, BANK IHUltUHUNAND RELATED DEVICES.

Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

UNITED STATES GFFICE.

TELLERS CAGE.

Application filed March 26, 1924. Serial No. 702,123.

This invention relates to a means for protecting the occupant of atellers cage from attack by bandits.

The invention is fully described in the following specification,reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, inwhich Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation on the line 11 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of a tellers cage with the protection afforded which isthe subject of this application.

In these drawings 3 represents the grille walls of the cage in the frontwall of which opposite the door is the aperture 4 through which thecashier transacts his business with the customer and 2 represents thecounters across the closed end and along each side.

Within this enclosure the occupant is at the mercy of a holdup man, whomay cover him with a gun while demanding the available cash in hischarge. It is to afford the occupant a protection agalnst such attackthat the device, which is the subject of this application, has beendevised.

Relatively narrow shutter members 6 are hinged at 5 across the front andalong each side wall of 3 of the cage. These shutter members arepreferably of steel plate and the width of each is suflicient to efiectclosure of the wall space between it and the one beneath, so that whenhanging down against the wall they completely screen the interior of thecage from the three outer sides.

A tongue 9 projects from the outer edge of one of the shutters of eachside, which tongues project under the corresponding end shutters, andthe free edges of the shutter members 6 are connected together by rigidrods 7 which are pivotally connected to the outer edges of the shuttermembers that they may all be sustained in the normal horizontalposition, in which position they form no obstruction to vision, or theymay be simultaneously dropped to hide and shield the occupant of thecage.

The shutters 6 are normally sustained in a horizontal position by alatch member 10 on a rocking shaft 11 extending across the rear of thecage, and to this rocking shaft is secured an arm 12, to the free end ofwhich is connected the end of the core member 13 of a solenoid let whichis in an energized but normally open circuit 15.

When this circuit 15 is closed at the key 16 the solenoid is energizedand attracts within it the core 13 to rock the shaft 11 and tilt thelatch member 10 to release the shutter 6 which rests on it, and theseshutters being connected together immediately fall to protect theinterior of the cage, and are secured in the closed position by a springlatch 8.

The shutters 6 being relatively narrow, each has only a short distancetofall, so that the cage will be shielded immediately the latch iswithdrawn.

The circuit 15 may be closed from any convenient position within orwithout the cage, so that, if the occupant is not able to effect his ownprotection, it may be done by any occupant of the bank who may be awareof the requirement for it.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare thatwhat I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

Means for protecting the occupant of a tellers cage, said meanscomprising a series of relatively narrow shutters hinged along one edgeto the grille wall of the cage the distance between the hingescorresponding closely to the width of the shutters so that when parallelto the wall of the cage the shutters completely close the grille, meansfor supporting these shutters in an open position, means for releasingthe supporting means to permit said shutters to drop to the closedposition by gravity, means connecting said shutters to move in unison.and means for retaining them in the closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE MURRAY.

